Not So Ordinary. Not Quite Expected.

There are some things that I do, almost second nature, that people appreciate. And there are some things I have, that other people think are incredibly valuable.

But I don't naturally pay attention to those things. I tend to only look out for what can be improved or fixed.

Now, at this point, you might be bracing yourself for one of those ‘humble brags’. But this is not one.

The point I'm trying to make — is that what often occurs as ordinary or expected, may not actually be so.

In fact, it's quite the opposite.

What seems, or what may seem ordinary or expected to you, often appears as such because you've been working on it day after day, week after week, month after month.

Just like a diligent farmer who sows his/her seeds, tills the soil, and waits patiently for the harvest. To the farmer, a harvest is expected, not quite an occurrence that’s out of the ordinary. But to the person benefiting from the harvest, it is a gift.

One should never take a gift lightly, expect it to be given, or think of it as commonplace just because it may not seem incredibly rare.

So, to those of us who continually work at something we believe in, in the way that we do; and to those of us who find it hard sometimes, to acknowledge our own efforts, I offer this reminder — what may seem to us as ordinary and expected, appears that way, because we’ve worked for it.

And to those of us who are recipients of such gifts, be it an act of kindness or an environment that enables us to thrive… understand that it is a gift. And quite likely, a gift that someone else has paid a price for.

I have encountered extraordinary people who have considered themselves quite ordinary; and I have been a recipient of gifts, that have been given to me without regard for their cost. 

To all those who have been a gift to me, I appreciate you all over again. I've enjoyed your company because you've worked diligently to be the person that you are. And if I have benefited from something you've given me, no matter how seemingly common the gift might be, I understand that it is an act of extraordinary intention.

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